Been offered a 2001 Scooby WRX. Talk me out of it..

[Rpmayne 0]

I've been offered a standard frog eyed 2001 WRX, two owners, the last of which has had it for 90k of its 100k miles and doesn't miss-treat it. The price is good and the more I read about turbos and that an extra 100bhp can be had for a grand, the more tempted I become. Plus the standard reliability appeals to me alot after owning a Corrado for 3 years.

 

Has anyone got one or can shed any light as to why I shouldn't get it? Will leave me skint but finding it hard to turn it down.

[Jim 2]

Today an Impreza.. tomorrow, wearing a blue Subaru WRC jacket and baseball cap. Its not good.

 

Workshop rates to fix them are aparently pretty huge - and being as the car has done 100k, I would have thought you'd be on track for some fairly significant bills on the way....

[Son of a Beesting 0]

They are not that cheap to keep going!

 

The third cylibder is very weak and it requires a rebuild (or at least major attention) every 7-10 thousand miles apparently.

 

I wouldnt do it, they are cheap prospect though!

[GazzaG60 0]

they dont fall apart after 10k mate somebody lied there.

 

the

EJ 20 is a good engine. the issues are that you need it out of the car to do a lot of jobs. think beetle engine. shells for instance mean a full build and the materials used in the engine are not up to vw standards.

 

the turbo on a bug eye is a td04. good for 280hp. a swap to a td05 or ihi will give upto 360hp or so. you need a FCD, AFR and boost controller along with FMIC and straight thru exhaust for 340-360hp. it will last if you look after her.

 

garages are often scared of subaru's but they aint that dificult to work on. cam belts need to be fitted by reputable people as the pulleys on one side need to be tension loaded before the belt goes on.

 

id say they are about the same as a corrado to run but to mod they cost more. having said that they are in another league to corrado handling and performace wise. you may stick with one in a straight line but with 350+hp and a great chassis they still fill you with confidence even at that power.

 

personnal if you want a subaru id spend a tad more on the STi. money is in the running gear etc. the 6 speed is a great box and the bigger brakes are needed.

 

i feel a standard subaru engine is good for 400hp and 350 no issues. ripping the gearbox (5 speed) up with a small turbo ihi/td05 and 1.5bar is not uncommon.

[TH3R4POR 0]

I don't like them, there seems to be a certain person who drives them, and that person doesn't appeal to me :(

 

extra 100bhp for a grand? you can do that on a C :)

 

even if the servicing costs are expensive, VWs are too :(

 

dunno mate, personal preference really, but the daily running costs of a Scooby are any better than a C.

 

I have spent hardly anything on my C mechanically wise, 2 coolant pipes, HT leads, brakes, plugs, and thats in 4 years. It's all luck of the draw, but I know owning a Scooby for 4 years would have cost me a shed load more!

[GazzaG60 0]

show me where you can take a corrado to 350hp for a grand.

[Son of a Beesting 0]

I never had a subaru but I sold my Corrado to get a jap car and I sold it within a year and I am looking at a Corrado again.

 

Its all down to personal taste though but I know which I would have!

[Rpmayne 0]

The third cylinder bit did scare me a tad. Having to take the engine out to work on it is a sod though, especially as the clutch has never been done so that probably hasn't got long left.

 

Think I will hold out for a Sti, thing is this particular car is going for under £5k, £2k less than the book price for its condition (excellent). Other thought was to buy, sell then look for another one. I hate these decisions.

 

Cheers for the info.

[GazzaG60 0]

there are reason we all have corrados.

 

subarus are great cars for power and handling but are built not too well. does that matter when you are smoking the next man? to some yes. others not.

 

the stigma attached which has been evident here is one reason why most of my mates have left subarus as personal cars behind. yes they miss them but they are moving on so to speak. one of the guys had 2 scoobies. both 350hp plus and now runs a mk2 16v. says he doesn't miss the impreza at all.

 

i know i have a corrado for the little extra luxury that the impreza doesn't, for the MPG also. given the choice of weapon for a sunday blast over the pennines and the subaru would be the one. its just better at those things.

[GazzaG60 0]

no problem RP. if you want a contact then let me know.

 

as it happens we are gonna try to start the last project of my mates. a race spec 2.35 impreza engine with custom cams and a t04R turbo. going for over 600hp when fully tuned.

[Jim 2]

I've said it many times but I think for sheer on road capability and Subaru has to be hard to beat. I'd love to own one some day.

 

The drive I had in one on my Ferrari day was unforgetable - it was a fairly new Impreza STI WRX and the performance left me amazed.. I enjoyed it far more than the Ferrari 355 I drove afterwards!

[G60Jet 1]

90k on a 5 year old car!! thats not average miles for a petrol motor. Thats been well used. Personally a car like that needs to be purchased from new. they are built for one thing only! thrashing.

[TH3R4POR 0]

they are build for one thing only! thrashing.

 

very true

[Jim Bowen 1]

too many of them on the road for me to like em, every other fooker has one, or a new mini.

 

middle aged men drive them thinking they 18yrs old again :lol: just way too common imo i know they good cars but without all the spoilers, vents, lights and rally inspired lumps and holes they quite an ugly car really

[G60Jet 1]

go by a skyline!! or an evo!! they are both rarer and more refined

[Rpmayne 0]

It's been a company car and mainly motorway miles. He's been made redundant so got offered the car cheap.

 

I know they do feel abit thin but my mates 280bhp import Impreza on an L-plate seems alot more taught and has less rattles than my VR. And the handling / power just leaves it for dead. The Corrado seems like a grand tourer compared.

 

It would probably cost the price of a Impreza to supercharge the VR to keep up, and I would still be left wanting the 4wd..

 

Can definitely see myself going the Jap way one day, after the VR there isn't really any other VAG car I want.

[skinnyman9000 0]

Not a fan of the newer models, but the older L reg ones are pure sex. Can't beat the sound as they trundle passed, hearing every cylinder fire through the exhaust

[Son of a Beesting 0]

Rpmayne, Sell me your VR and try the Subaru!! :mrgreen:

[GazzaG60 0]

your right RP, think you have seen the good side of the sub already.

 

they aint as bad a build as most say. they dont clunk like a VW but i think more or less every othe rbit is better designed even if the materials are not as good.

 

for good reliability get a UK car. the mapping in japan if for 100+RON and different humidity. i think ive seen about 20-30 imports with blown engines.

[Andy T 0]

Don't do it, they're UGLY! interior is minging too.

 

I regret selling my G60 even though I had a new un (VR) I can't imagine being able to let a C go without having one to replace it.

 

You will regret it I promise!

[Goldie 2]

I agree with the skyline comment, they are brilliant cars.

 

Id stand back and think what a car says about you and to me an imprezza, unless very tastefully done, doesnt say particularly good things.When they first came out then yes they were excellent but they are almost a victim of their own success.

[H8RRA 0]

short and sweet reason

 

scooby - dog by name, dog by looks, common, chav

 

corrado - good looking, capable motor, still fairly exclusive and certainly not common

[Storm Monkey 0]

Despite the performance and handling, anything described as "Bug Eye'd" is best avoided IMO. I think they are butt ugly. The standard Imp (the non sporty one) is a dull looking saloon, or a wierd excuse for an estate. The turbo's are just poor lookers that have been Chav'd at the factory, instead of at Halfords.

 

The C has a whole lot more class!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I can think of worse cars to own. I don't mind imprezas, they're OK. I love the engine note but don't find anything about the rest of the car remotely interesting tbh. They feel grippy enough, but no more so than any other 4x4 and they have understeer built in - bad understeer. But that can be quelled with a whiteline rear ARB.

 

As Gaz says, the STI is the one to have because chavs can't afford it, better engine, better brakes, better suspension an nicer gear ratios....and water spray etc.

 

Image wise, well, it can't be helped but imo driving pleasure is more important than what people think of your car. If you stick with the factory exhaust and wheels, fit the more discreet deck spoiler and you can't be accused of being a chav. I actually prefer the more subdued warble of the stock exhaust to the in your face 5" specials.

 

I can remember when RS Turbos and MK2 Escort RS2000s were considered chav cars, but mint standard examples of both are fetching good money now.

And everyone knows it's only the beaten up old 'classic' imps that are the chav ones because they're so cheap.

 

The 3rd cylinder thing is heat related. The turbo runs over it causing localised heating. UK cars have very restrictive front pipes, fit full bore ones and you can liberate a decent amount of power and torque. Oil filter needs to be primed and the engine cranked to pressurise the system before driving off after a service.

Boost needs careful attention. They're intolerant of det and blow up in seconds if you're a knob with bleed valves.

[Rpmayne 0]

Just turned it down, thanks for talking me round. Is going to bug me that its going to end up in an auction for silly money but can't get rid of the Corrado for it yet.

 

Agree that the Corrado is a better looking car no question but money versus outright performance the Jap stuff is hard to beat. Maybe couldn't live with them as an every day car but for a pure adrenaline rush would love to own one aswell as.